DARK ESSENCE RECORDS plans to make their annual Inferno Festival event a little different this year when they join forces with sister label KARISMA RECORDS to showcase two of their bands each at Blå on Wednesday 16th April. “We are always conscious of the fact that while many of Dark Essence’s artists such as TAAKE tour frequently, and fans in Europe have a good chance of seeing them live, the Karisma artists tend to tour much less, so we thought that this year we would open up the event to give their fans a chance to see some of them, and introduce them to Dark Essence’s fans at the same time”, commented the label’s Martin Kvam.

SLEGEST – Photo by Ørjan Talle and Håvard Nesbø

Representing Dark Essence will be two bands whose recent releases have been getting rave reviews from press and fans alike. First up will be SLEGEST, the new project from former VREID guitarist Ese, who has skilfully blended classic heavy rock and old-school black metal to produce a sound that is both dark and sinister, and with an unmistakably down and dirty catchy groove that weaves its way through the music. Originally started as a one-man project, once the debut full-length album “Løyndom” was released at the end of 2013, it quickly became clear that the demand from fans to see SLEGEST perform live was such that Ese was persuaded to form a fully functioning band. More information about SLEGEST can be found at https://www.facebook.com/slegest

The official video for the track “Ho Som Haustar Aleine” from SLEGEST’s “Løyndom” can be seen below:

ALFAHANNE

Joining them will be Sweden’s ALFAHANNE, whose lineup includes members of bands such as VINTERLAND and early MAZE OF TORMENT, and who have come together to play what they themselves have called ”Alfapocalyptic Rock”, a fascinating and hard-hitting mix of Black Metal, Classic Rock and Punk with some Goth influences . Their high-energy live performances have garnered them much praise. Making a guest appearance on stage with ALFAHANNE, will be HELHEIM‘s V’gandr who performed vocals on one of the tracks from the band’s new album “Alfapokalyps” . It is a tribute to ALFAHANNE that they were able to attract not only V’gandr to make a guest appearance on the album, but also Dark Essence label-mates Hoest from TAAKE and Niklas Kvarforth from SHINING. More information about ALFAHANNE can be found at https://www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial

The track “Såld På Mörkret” from ALFAHANNE’s album ”Alfapocalyptic Rock” and which features TAAKE’s Hoest on guest vocals can be heard here:

AIRBAG

Making an appearance for Karisma will be two bands, representing the new and the established. Lovers of Prog Rock cannot fail to recognise the name of AIRBAG, a band known the world-over for an exquisite musical craftsmanship that enables its musicians to create a sonic experience ranging from massive walls of sound, to ambient textures and soulful soundscapes, both in the studio and on stage. The release of AIRBAG’s third full-length album “The Greatest Show on Earth” at the end of last year confirmed the band’s status in the world of prog, earning them many accolades. Inferno will be one of the very few chancesthat to catch this incredible band live this year so it is an opportunity that should not be missed. One for fans of ANATHEMA. More information about AIRBAG can be found at http://www.airbagsound.com/

The title track from AIRBAG’s album “The Greatest Show on Earth” can be heard here:

SEVEN IMPALE

The second of the Karisma bands is one of their latest signings, SEVEN IMPALE. The release of the digital EP “Beginning/Relieve” last year gave an indication of the multi-faceted nature of these young musicians. With its member drawn from a range of disciplines including classical orchestra, big band, metal, jazz, rock and electronic music, their sound ranges from progressive and jazzy to the softer and more melodic to the harder and edgier. They bring a freshness and enthusiasm to their live performances, and it is anticipated that their debut full-length album later this year will more than meet expectations, setting them apart from many other new arrivals on the scene. If you are a fan of Norway’s SHINING, SEVEN IMPALE is definitely a band you will want to check out. More information about SEVEN IMPALE can be found at https://www.facebook.com/sevenimpale

The title track from SEVEN IMPALE’s “Beginning/Relieve” EP can be heard below:

Scheduled performances for the Dark Essence Records / Karisma Records artists at Inferno Festival, which will take place at Blå, Brennereiven 9C, Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday 16th April as follows: